REFERENCE TO RELATED PUBLICATIONS
The present invention was registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office under the Document Disclosure Program. The date received was Sep. 13, 1993 and the registration number is 339,290.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to receptacle covers. More specifically, it relates to a construction for a cover of a drinking glass or mug that allows the user to drink from the glass while in motion or otherwise occupied, while not accidentally spilling the contents thereof. Even more specifically, it relates to a cover construction for a receptacle wherein a biased lever or activator connected to valves on top of the cover is pressed to allow fluid communication between the interior of the receptacle and the exterior. This communication is at two points: the first being the drinking mouth, and the other being a vent to allow the contents of the receptacle to flow smoothly. When the lever is released, the valves seat themselves on the cover top.
More generally, the invention relates to any application where it is desired that the contents of a receptacle or container be selectively in or out of fluid communication with the exterior thereof, such as a storage tank or like object. Furthermore, the contents of the receptacle would not necessarily have to be a liquid in fact: it would be conceivable for the contents to be solid, granular in nature for instance, such as in a grain storage silo. Additionally, though the nature of the closure described herein is that of a cover, it should be understood that a side, or even bottom mounting of the closure according to the instant invention would be within the scope of the invention.
Thus it can be seen that the potential fields of use for this invention are myriad, and the particular preferred embodiment described herein is in no way meant to be limiting the particular field chosen for exposition of the details of the invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Covers with manually controllable valves are well known devices. These apparatus are sometimes used to keep liquids from spilling from a receptacle while the user is in motion. If one looks around on busy roads during a morning commute in an urban area, these devices are practically ubiquitous, with people drinking coffee or tea as they drive. Other uses, of course, are obvious: use during sports such as running, cycling, or competitive walking (race walking), while boating, or any endeavor wherein the user would be in motion, either under their own power or by mechanical means. Covers such as these can also be used to insulate the contents of the receptacle, limiting the heat exchange with the ambient outer environment, except when desired by the user. One of the disadvantages of these prior art devices is that many parts extend into the receptacle's interior. This leads to sticky operation (since many people put sugar into their coffee, or that many beverages contain sugar as one of their ingredients), and presents difficulty when the user attempts to clean the apparatus. One of the advantages of the present invention is that contact between elements of the valve linkage apparatus and the contents of the receptacle is kept to a minimum. Another advantage of the instant invention is the construction of the "straw-like" fluid conduit plenum or chamber. This extends upwards from the top of the cover and prevents inadvertent spillage while the valves are in the open position, and also prevents the gradual fluid buildup around the lip of the receptacle as is seen with contemporary art devices. Additionally, the apparatus as described herein can be constructed such that it is easy to clean. During a search at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a number of patents were uncovered that relate to the invention described herein.
Firstly, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,642 issued on Jul. 11, 1978 to Orv Nergard there is disclosed a drinking receptacle cover and valve assembly. In this device, an actuating member terminating in a manually operable push button is disposed diametrically opposite the beverage outlet opening in the flat plate portion of the cover. Opposite the push button portion of the actuating member is a camming surface that engages with a cooperating camming surface located on the underside of a valve head. The valve head is dimensioned to close the beverage outlet and is biased to do so by integrally formed resilient arms. Also integral to the valve head is a resilient strip terminating in a fork that engages a collar on the actuating member proximate the interior surface of the cover. Thus, the actuating member is biased outwardly, and only on the pressing of the push button are the interengaging camming surfaces moved into relationship with one another. Compare this to the instant invention wherein the interengagement of the actuating portion and a rotating rod that transmits the trigger movement to the valves is carried out by wires or like objects that connect the trigger, rod, and valves; and that the valve members engage the top of the cover, without extending down into the interior of the receptacle as Nergard '642 shows.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,446 issued on Jan. 9, 1979 to Kenneth J. Albert there is disclosed a drinking vessel cover with valve controlled openings. The cover has an inclined flat wall at its top that has therein a drinking opening and a relief vent, diametrically opposed to one another. Depending from the underside of the wall are two lugs. These lugs are formed with journal recesses that carry a lever such that a pivotal mounting is created. One end of this pivoting lever carries a stub arm that extends through the drinking opening and a valve member on the end thereof dimensioned so that the opening is closed off when the valve member engages the upper surface of the top cover wall. At the distal end of the lever is a valve member and a pushbutton portion that extends through the relief vent to project above the cover. A leaf spring biases the lever such that the valve member closes the drinking opening unless the pushbutton is pressed. Contrast this to the present invention where the entire linkage between the actuator and the valves is described as being located above the top of the receptacle cover, isolating much of the present apparatus from the receptacle contents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,992 issued on Jul. 7, 1981 to Roland J. Susich discloses a drinking cup with a laterally actuated valve. The valve is normally biased against the bottom surface of the cap by a flexible arm. When the actuator, a trigger that engages a rod, is pressed, a camming surface carried by the rod engages a portion of the valve, forcing it downwards against the impetus of the flexible arm. The rod itself has a biasing arm attached to keep the valve in a normally closed position. As in the patents described hereinabove, most of the elements in the Susich patent are disposed below the surface of the cover, thus exposing them to the contents of the receptacle with the concomitant disadvantages outlined previously and clearly differentiating the Susich patent from the instant invention.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,173 issued on Dec. 1, 1981, also to Orv B. Nergard discloses a mug type drinking receptacle with cover and valve wherein a trigger and rod actuating system, with the rod carrying a camming surface distal the trigger, engages a valve, normally biased against the lower portion of the cover top, and forcing it downwards and away therefrom. The trigger is disposed 90.degree. away from the dispensing aperture. Again, this does not teach the instant invention as described herein, in that all of the linkage elements of Nergard '173 are in potential contact with the contents of the receptacle, by virtue of being located in the interior thereof.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.